Thx dfinn! I finally got the rear fender mounted up! My welds are getting better. I should get some free time this weekend to work on it and can get some pix up. I'm usually all for blacking out a ride but for some reason I'm leaning towards the polished forks. I'm still undecided. but it kinda seems if I don't black out too much, it looks as if this bike was originally made this way. Any parts I've used from other bikes have still been 1975 parts.

Because of you and this thread I am seriously considering buying a 78 XL350 off CL and doing a build like yours. I told my wife this is going to be her bike to ride, I was like " ya baby it's a small 350. It's perfect for you!"

wow, when i saw your first pic of the bike in it's original form, i wasn't too excited about what you'd be doing. by page 5, though, i can't wait to see what's next! awesome build, and the engine looks amazing with the chrome studs on black!

yeah should have some pix up soon.....workin on gettin the exhaust routed the way i want and i need to get that frame dipped or blasted or something to paint or powder....lots of grime and shit i dont really care to clean off myself...

on the way home from the mountains the other day i came across these 2 bikes i picked up for 25$ each.....gonna sell em to keep funding this project...one is a yamaha rt1 360 and the other i think is a 175....the one tank looks kinda cool when i set it on my XL...and i could steal an 18" rim from one of them and lace it to the front of the xl if i wanted to run the firestones front and rear at 18"....

Finally got 2 hrs between the babys nap to cut the exhaust in to 3 sections to change and weld it up to exit on the right side just behind the foot peg. I think it looks pretty good. Streched an old tshirt over the seat to get an idea of a black seat. Not sure I like the black......maybe it'll look better when its vinyl. Or maybe Brown? But then I gotta find Brown grips. Still gotta paint the hubs on front and rear. And polish the other fork. Here are a cpl pix to check out.